Does CalFresh provide housing assistance or can county offices help with emergency housing?

CalFresh is just for food, they dont do housing. you need to call 211 they can tell u about emergency rental assistance programs. i think its called Housing is Key in california now

CalFresh is ONLY for food benefits, they won't help with housing directly. Different program completely! But don't give up - the same county office usually has multiple programs. Ask specifically for: 1. CalWORKs (if you have kids) 2. General Assistance/General Relief 3. Housing Support Program ALSO call 211 like the other person said. They can connect you with ALL the local resources including emergency rental assistance. Don't wait!!!!

I work with housing assistance programs and can clarify a few things. The CalFresh program itself doesn't provide housing help, but many counties have integrated service centers where multiple benefit programs are administered from the same location. Specifically ask for: - Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) - Housing Support Program (HSP) - Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) if you have any disabilities - Home Safe Program (if you're over 65) Each has different eligibility requirements. For immediate help, 211 is your best resource as they can connect you with local non-profits that might have emergency funds available.

I was in a similar situation last year and couldn't get through to anyone on the county phone lines for days. I ended up using this service called Claimyr to reach someone at my county office about housing programs - saved me hours of waiting. They connect you directly to a caseworker so you don't have to sit through the hold music. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or go to claimyr.com. When I finally got through, I found out I qualified for emergency rental assistance even though I was only getting CalFresh. The key is asking specifically about emergency housing funds.

The system is SO FRUSTRATING!!! I'm sorry you're dealing with this. The problem is all these services are completely separate even though they should be connected. I spent 6 months homeless because of all the red tape and waiting lists. CalFresh doesn't do housing directly, but here's what worked for me: 1. Go IN PERSON to the county office - phones are useless 2. Ask specifically for a housing case manager or homeless prevention services 3. Bring proof of your eviction threat (notice from landlord) 4. Be prepared to fill out a ton of paperwork In some counties they have emergency funds they can approve same-day if you're facing imminent eviction. Don't take no for an answer!

theres is this program called Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) that helps with one time rent emergencies. i got it last year when i almost got evicted. not all counties have it but worth asking your calfrosh worker if they know about it

U should check with ur county if they have whats called homeless prevention funds. its seprate from calfresh but sometimes same office. they helped my cousin with 2 months rent when she got laid off last year but u have to have prove of hardship and eviction notice

Make sure when you call or visit the county office you use the EXACT right terminology. If you just ask about "housing help" they'll say no because technically CalFresh doesn't offer housing. You need to specifically ask for "Homelessness Prevention Programs" or "Emergency Housing Assistance" or "Housing Support Program" depending on your county. And BRING DOCUMENTATION of everything - income, rent, eviction notice, all of it. The system is designed to make it difficult unfortunately.

I went through something similar a few months ago and want to add a couple things that really helped me. First, if your county has a "One-Stop" or "Integrated Service Center," that's your best bet - they handle CalFresh, housing assistance, and other programs all in one place. Second, ask about the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for housing - it's how they prioritize people for housing assistance and you can get on the list even before you're actually homeless. Also, some food banks partner with housing organizations and might have emergency rental assistance or know about local programs that aren't well advertised. The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities often have emergency funds too. Time is critical with eviction threats, so hit multiple resources at once rather than waiting to hear back from one. Good luck!